Benefits of Back Lever Training: Why You Should Start Your Journey
📖 Read Time: 10 Minutes | 📊 Difficulty: Intermediate to Advanced | ⏰ Updated: Recently
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People just like you that are working with their own body weight to get strength, lose fat build muscle, recover from injuries and live their best lives!
Let’s be honest!👊
The ultimate and first-ever reason why we want to learn the back lever is that it’s such a BADASS-looking calisthenics skill. You can leave people in awe after seemingly defying gravity with this calisthenics skill.🎯
Not only is this an aesthetically pleasing move, but it provides a ton of physical and mental benefits as well. The back lever makes a great addition to any fitness routine for both beginners and advanced athletes alike. 💯
🌟Read on to learn about why mastering the back lever should be part of your journey, plus how you can safely get started with training this valuable skill!
🎯 Quick Takeaway
The back lever isn’t just a show-off move – it builds exceptional shoulder strength, improves mobility, and creates bulletproof joint health while unlocking advanced calisthenics combinations.
📚 What’s Inside This Guide:
- 🏆 10 Amazing Benefits of Back Lever Training
- 💪 How Back Levers Build Total-Body Strength
- 🩹 Shoulder Health & Injury Prevention
- 🎯 Back Lever Progression Pathway
- ❓ Getting Started Safely
⏱️ Limited Time: Get your personalized back lever plan FREE (normally $47)
🏆 Benefits of Back Lever Training
The back lever benefits go beyond aesthetics and badass content. Back lever training also offers valuable physical and mental improvements that can further transcend your bodyweight mastery.
🔥 Improves Shoulder Strength
One noticeable improvement is specific shoulder strength in a wide range of motion. As you can see in the full back lever, the arms are in wide shoulder extension, and you need to push down into flexion to hold your body into position.
Without the necessary shoulder strength, you will simply drop from the rings (or bar) because your shoulders can’t bear your full body weight in a disadvantageous position.
Remember: Calisthenics exercises are a full-body workout. The whole body (including the lower body) is stimulated in the back lever, with special emphasis on the arms and scapula.
🔥 Increases Shoulder Mobility
The back lever trains the shoulders in a wide range of motion, increasing mobility – your ability to move muscles with control in a given range.
🤔 Mobility vs. Flexibility:
- ⚡️ Flexibility: End range of motion with assistance (gravity, bands, etc.)
- ⚡️ Mobility: Active and controlled movement without assistance
Both work hand in hand, but we emphasize mobility since holding the back lever requires active strength in the specific range.
🔥 Better Shoulder Health
Better shoulder mobility means better shoulder health. If you have nagging shoulder pains and stiffness, improving your strength through a wider range of motion can address the issue.
Why? Pain and stiffness are often a result of weakness. Your body compensates by using other muscle groups, slowly “forgetting” proper shoulder function.
📍 Read more: How to Treat Injuries with Calisthenics
💡 Ready to build bulletproof shoulders?
🔥 Reduces Risk of Shoulder Injuries
With increased range of motion, capacity to train, and improved strength and stability, your shoulders are prepared to move without worries.
Common injury cause: Unpreparedness of the body for specific movements. Back lever training improves your baseline strength, making other movements safer.
📍 Read more: How to Avoid Injury Training with Calisthenics
🔥 Better Body Awareness
Train your mind and body to get used to the horizontal position. Develop the ability to achieve correct positioning without video feedback.
🔥 Better Proprioception
Improve your awareness in space. This skill transfers to all other movements in performance and daily life.
🔥 Elevates Core Strength
The abs and obliques work together to hold the correct straight bodyline. This transfers to other skills like planche, handstand, and push-ups.
🔥 Unlocks Advanced Skills
Opens possibilities for higher-level combinations like the back lever to Maltese (Zanetti in gymnastics).
🔥 Personal Achievement
The fulfillment of learning a new skill feels more rewarding than repetitive exercises. Develops multiple fitness aspects simultaneously.
🔥 Develops Discipline
Requires committed, consistent training. You can’t master it overnight – motivation gets you started, discipline gets you there.
💪 How Back Levers Build Total-Body Strength
The back lever targets multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making it one of the most efficient strength-building exercises in calisthenics.
🎯 Primary Muscles Activated in Back Lever
| Muscle Group | Primary Role | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Shoulders | Hold body position against gravity | 360° stability, injury prevention |
| Lats | Maintain depression and extension | Massive pulling power, V-taper |
| Core | Keep body straight and rigid | Rock-solid abs, spine protection |
| Triceps | Lock out arms in extension | Straight-arm strength, elbow health |
| Scapular Muscles | Stabilize shoulder blades | Better posture, shoulder mechanics |
🎯 Back Lever Progression Pathway
Follow this proven progression system to safely develop your back lever from beginner to advanced levels.
Step 1: Foundation
- German hangs (30-60s)
- Shoulder dislocations
- Hollow body holds
- Pull-up strength (8+ reps)
⏰ Timeline: 2-4 weeks
Step 2: Beginner
- Tucked back lever (5-15s)
- Tucked negatives
- Tucked holds
- Skin the cats
⏰ Timeline: 4-8 weeks
Step 3: Intermediate
- Advanced tuck (15-30s)
- One leg extended
- Straddle back lever
- Half lay back lever
⏰ Timeline: 3-6 months
Step 4: Advanced
- Full back lever (10s+)
- Back lever pull-ups
- Back lever to Maltese
- Dynamic variations
⏰ Timeline: 6-18+ months
📌 Takeaway
There are multiple reasons why you would want to train the back lever. It serves not only for aesthetics and “showing off,” but also enhances your body’s capability to get stronger, more mobile, and more capable of movement and function.
Sure, targeting the back lever at first can be for the mere purpose of achieving the skill, which isn’t a bad intention to set, but you will soon learn that the process of acquiring the back lever is incredibly beneficial for your body.
If you’re ready to start your back lever journey, first check out the muscles used and requirements needed to progress through this skill safely:
📍 Read here: Back Lever Requirements: Muscles Used & Prerequisites
❓ Getting Started Safely
What prerequisites do I need for back lever training?
You should be able to perform 8+ pull-ups and hold a German hang for 30-60 seconds. Good shoulder mobility and hollow body hold strength (30s+) are also essential foundations.
How often should I train back lever?
2-3 times per week is optimal. This provides enough stimulus for strength development while allowing adequate recovery. Focus on quality over quantity in each session.
Is back lever training safe for shoulders?
When performed with proper progression and adequate preparation, back lever training actually strengthens and protects shoulders. Never skip the foundation phase or rush the progression.
📚 Related Articles You’ll Love:
Back Lever Requirements: Muscles Used & Prerequisites
Essential preparation before starting back lever training
How to Treat Injuries with Calisthenics
Use movement to heal and prevent shoulder problems
About The Movement Athlete
The Movement Athlete is the world’s leading AI-powered calisthenics training platform. We’ve helped over 100,000 people master advanced skills like the back lever through our personalized progression system that adapts to your individual strength and skill level.
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